


Bittersweet Reunion

by FadingThroughNebulae



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bit of a sad ending, Breaking canon while studying characters, Canon-Typical Violence, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Kingdom Hearts III Spoilers, Light Angst, No one ever truly dies in Kingdom Hearts, Not Canon Compliant - Kingdom Hearts III, Platonic Relationships, Scene Rewrite, Someone fades from existence but not really, This game could have been so much more fulfilling, Written before Re:Mind release, damaged friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 17:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21802459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FadingThroughNebulae/pseuds/FadingThroughNebulae
Summary: A rewrite of two scenes from Kingdom Hearts III**Possible Spoilers**Lea and Isa at Twilight Town clock tower, and the ensuing battle of the New Organization.One shot in three parts
Kudos: 6





	1. Failed Reconciliation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Link to original scene with Lea and Isa - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX4dYTqUfLs

Lea stared out into the sunset, clinging to three sticks of ice cream. He held the two spare ones up to his eyes, watching them start to melt into his glove as he munched into the other. He let out a sigh.

“Why I’d buy two more?”

He looked back out to horizon. “Roxas. I’ll be there soon. Don’t you worry.” He turned the ice cream sticks over. “I still have you memorized,” he said.

Lea froze as someone rounded the corner. He stared wide-eyed at Isa, dressed in the traditional black coat.

“Do you still remember who your true friends are?”

“Wha- Isa? Why-”

“I’m not here to fight,” he said, finding a spot on the ledge to sit. He looked at Lea with sharp amber eyes. “You always were so tense.”

Lea exhaled and turned away from him, his brow furrowing. “You’re telling _me_ to ease up?”

Isa reached over and plucked one of the ice creams from Lea’s hand, almost making him drop the other one.

“Hey!”

“Oh, you were going to eat all three?”

Lea’s jaw tightened, avoiding his stare now. He paused, then stared eating his ice cream faster, the space between them shrinking with every passing second.

“Why buy this many?" Isa said. "I’m assuming one’s for Roxas, and one for you, but the other one?”

Lea remained quiet, face still pressed. The wind drifted up to greet them, stirring his coat and hair.

“Why are you here?” He said without looking at him. “Not for small talk, right?” A chunk slid off the spare ice cream he still had, plummeting several feet through the air.

Isa didn’t answer for a good while, and Lea glanced at him. He was staring out into the distance, the light illuminating his eyes. Lea did a double take after he swore Isa’s eyes briefly flickered their normal green.

“I asked earlier if you still remember your true friends.”

Lea didn't say anything, one knee tucked to his chest. He looked to his right, eyeing the space he had between him and the edge, then turned back around, though his posture now looked like he wanted to fold in on himself. The _chunkchunk-chunkchunk_ sound of a passing train reached his ears.

“Do you remember what happened at Radiant Garden?”

“You want to talk about that _now_?” Lea winced.

Isa stared at the ice cream in his hand. “What do you think would have happened if we had not snuck into the castle? How different do you think our lives would be?”

Lea's words failed him once more, his gaze shifting everywhere but to Isa's face.

Isa continued. "Do you suppose you and I would still have something to talk about aside from this?"

The spare ice cream slipped out of Lea’s hand.

"What are you saying?"

“Suppose none of this had happened. What then?” Isa said, turning to him. "Do you think we could go back to the way things were?"

Lea’s hands shook, and he dropped the other ice cream. He squeezed his eyes shut, his jaw tightening. A tear slipped down his face before he could stop it.

“Are you… crying?” Isa said.

“No. I’m- Shut up!” He looked up at Isa with a scowl, his eyes incensed. “Do you realize- You don’t get to do that!”

“What?”

“This! You’re joking, right? You're trying fix this now?” Lea’s hands closed into fists. "Do you even know what you did?"

Isa frowned. "I did what I had to, Lea. We had our own goals to complete." He looked back out to the horizon. "If I'm not mistaken, I had a lot of help along the way."

“You still don't get it, do you?" Lea’s voice was shrill. “What I did, all that I gave." He clambered to his feet. “You ignored- you tried to-” Lea faltered, not daring to bring himself to say it. He started to walk past Isa, his face glowering.

“Lea?”

“No, I’m not doing this. Not here. Not now!”

Isa grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

Lea paused, his face turning to the side, fighting back any further emotion.

“Why don’t you just go back to your puppet master?” he said, not bothering to hide the cracking in his voice.

He ripped his arm out of Isa’s grasp, disappearing into a dark corridor, leaving Isa to sit by himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Will add part two at a later date.


	2. Sea Salt Trio Complete

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rewrite begins after Lea and Kairi fight against Isa with Sora.
> 
> Original Scene for parts two and three - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeXTCPpHio8

Blades clashed. Isa shoved Lea off, and the latter slid across the dirt after sticking a somersault. He winced, and Isa erupted with a shock-wave blow. Sora and Kairi, supporting Lea from the back, sailed through the air as Isa threw out a backhand. They landed on their sides flat in the dust. Lea hastened towards them, intercepting.

“Isa! Stop!” He blocked several downward strikes.

Isa launched backwards, then dove towards him. Lea rolled, barely dodging the attack with his keyblade poised to the side. A black blur appeared to his right, and he evaded again. The newcomer's Kingdom Key nearly nicked the side of Lea's face. Kairi shot to her feet, and rushed the hooded figure, countering their strike.

"Axel!" She met his eyes as she struggled against the weight of her opponent.

He sprinted to aid her out of the bind, and the figure swung wide, lobbing Kairi through the air. She slammed into a mound of rocks, the impact knocking the wind out of her.

"Kairi!" Sora ran for her.

Lea glanced behind him at Kairi's slumped form. A heavy blow dragged through his chest. His knees hit the dirt. The being in front of him gripped their weapon in a single hand, face shrouded in shadow. Lea grimaced, and the person stepped closer, aiming the blade at his heart.

“Who are you?” he said through tight breath.

The figure lunged at him in response. Lea jolted to the left, and time slowed. With his keyblade clutched in hand, he stared out in front of him, towards the rocky spires jutting up through the ground. Another man cloaked in black lingered there, watching their performance. Lea’s brow pinched, then he sensed something over his shoulder. He whirled around and blocked the incoming attack.

The hooded figure withdrew and cast blizzaga mid-jump, one hand flicking towards Lea. The spell struck him under the ribs, a sphere of ice ramming into his skin. He grunted, his stance faltering. The being landed several blows while he staggered, failing to guard himself. With one last hit to his side, Lea reeled, falling on his back. His breath shot out of his lungs, and he couldn't get it back. After slight pause, he clawed his way back up to his feet, straining with his chest burning. The other man who observed them stretched his arm out to the side. Lea’s eyes now shot back to the person in front of him.

Black and white trails of nothingness surrounded the nobody, encasing them in a bubble. They released a gut-wrenching scream, and the large hallow orb burst. The figure found their footing, their keyblade now glowing with darkness. Black wisps emanated from their body, and they unleashed a fury of attacks on Lea. He successfully blocked with his own weapon once or twice, but the being's rage outmatched him. The cold blade tore through him. 

“Axel!” Sora yelled from Kairi's side, his hand hovering over her shoulder.

Kairi held a hand to her head, a small bleeding gash over her brow. Her eyes appeared dazed and she lightly shook her head. Her face stretched in horror, and she reached out with a bloody hand towards Lea. "Behind you!"

He hardily blinked before a metallic heaviness connected with his jaw and sent him skidding through the dirt. His body and face sand with pain as he lay on his stomach.

“Axel!” Sora stood quickly, his fists clenched as he raced towards his fallen comrade.

A snarl stretched over the figure's face underneath the shadow of their hood, glaring at Kairi and Sora. The nobody pitched a dark ball from their hand. Sora blocked the attack with his keyblade, sliding back from the force. He barely avoided a collision with Kairi, who stumbled up behind him on unsteady legs. A barrier formed around Lea and the nobody surging with power, preventing the two outsiders from interfering any further.

Lea gritted his teeth, one fist pressed into the ground as he forced himself to stand. He wiped his mouth on the cuff of his coat, smearing blood away from his busted lip. He glimpsed at Kairi and Sora for a split second. A mistake. The dark keyblade sliced through Lea's chest, stunning him. In extreme pain, he collapsed again. His fingers dug into the ground, his breath expelling in heavy gasps. The hooded figure pulled their weapon back, preparing to run him through. Kairi and Sora watched, helpless on the other side of the barrier.

Lea's jaw clenched, and he glared up at figure with dirt streaked under his eyes. “You asked for it.”

He leapt to his feet, locking blades with the nobody, forcing them back with single shove. Their shoes dragged across the ground as they dueled, kicking up dust. Lea lashed out, striking the figure with his own flurry of attacks. Neither of them gained the upper hand as metal clanged and blows connected with flesh. The nobody, deciding that they struggled long enough, caught Lea’s keyblade in a bind. As Lea grappled to throw them off, he stared into the blackness of the hood. A sharp pain suddenly shot through his heart, running up to his mind like a live wire.

A gasp escaped him, his eyes expanding. The pressure on his keyblade slackened, all strength suddenly drained from his heavy limbs. His shoulders shook, and uncontrollable tears rimmed his eyes as his brow creased. “Xion?”

The nobody paused, then pulled back. Their body jerked to the side, contorting in extreme pain as their fingers dug into the sides of their skull. They cried out, and Lea reached for them, a concerned expression consuming his face. His fingertips brushed their arm, but the person stumbled further away, legs banging into each other before they collapsed to their knees. Lea raced towards the fallen nobody, and the man who studied the two from a distance as they fought teleported right in front of him, blocking his path.

Lea froze, shifting into a defensive stance. He gritted his teeth as he brandished his keyblade. "Move!"

The man removed his hood, silver hair spilling down his shoulders. He turned to face the being at his feet.

“Still you refuse to carry out your orders?” Xemnas said. “Even when you are given unlimited power from the darkness?"

" _You_ may need him, but I can no longer do this," the being replied in breathless gasps, curled upon the ground and still shaking.

"Useless puppet," he hauled the nobody up by the arm. He propelled them back into ground, and they crumpled into a ball in at Lea's feet.

Lea reached down, a strong yell starting to escape his lips. Xemnas pitched his arm through the air, expelling an extreme force of wind. The nobody rolled through the blast, slamming into Lea's shins. They both skidded back across the ground, small rocks strewn about in their wake. The barrier around them dissipated. Lea lifted his head, struggling to sit up. The pain from the cuts on his skin materialized all at once, his coat shredded on the sides. The nobody lay draped over him, and he released a shuddering breath as the being's face came into view, their hood fallen about their shoulders.

“Xion!” Small tears spilled down Lea's cheeks as a huge smile stretched over his face.

Her bright blue eyes slowly opened and she met his gaze, offering a pained smile as she rolled off of him. “Hey, Axel.”

"Xion!" He pulled her into an elated hug, startling her, not caring what unfolded around them. "I- You-" He pulled back, resting a hand to her shoulder as he found his words. "You okay?” he said, his words coming out breathless and rushed as his eyes traced over her newly-earned scars.

Blood trickled down her face and over her chin from a cut on her cheek. She jolted then, and Lea's gaze shot up to the being in front of him. He quickly summoned his keyblade as Xemnas hurled a laser at them. Lea sent it spiraling into the rocky maze wall.

“You both shall vanish!” Xemnas charged him, slamming an ethereal blade against Lea's weapon. It threatened to break under the pressure.

Xemnas withdrew, then slammed the laser into Lea's shoulder, passing over his guard. He released a choked gasp, and Xemnas stuck him again in the side. He fell onto his back with his arms stretched out in the dirt.

"No!" Xion bolted towards Xemnas. He warped, but Xion's keyblade still managed to connect with his body in small continuous chain before he caught her in his grasp. 

“Now, go back to Sora. He is of more use to us now than you are,” he said, lifting her up in the air with one hand clasped around her neck.

She struggled for air, clawing at his fingers.

"Xion!" Sora sprinted towards them, pulling his keyblade back to strike.

Xemnas teleported once more, and Sora missed his mark. Kairi charged him now too, her own weapon drawn. Xemnas dodged her attack and smacked her across the field with a backhand. 

"Kairi!" Sora changed course, running back to her. She stood before he reached her, smudging dirt across her face as she wiped her bleeding nose over her arm. She tightened her grip on her keyblade. When Sora met her side, he was about to ask if she was alright when she let out a sharp breath.

"Last time. Now it's my turn." She dashed towards Lea and Xion, but Xemnas kept her at bay, expelling laser beams at every opportunity. As he squeezed the last ounces of strength out of Xion, Lea managed to roll over and grab one of the superior's legs. Xemnas stepped aside, aiming to crush Lea's fingers, but he fought his way up. The hole in his jacket frayed around the singed edges, a large open wound in his side aching from where ethereal blade stuck him.

"Let. Her. Go!"

"A guardian of light," Xemnas said. He tossed Xion aside, her body slamming into the ground, her breath shallow. He turned on Lea. "Why revoke the darkness when it has so much to offer you?"

Lea summoned his keyblade, lifting it in staggering defense. Xemnas's eyes poured over the curved blade.

"This weapon," he said. Lea stepped back, but Xemnas grabbed it, holding him in place. He spoke slowly. "How are you worthy? To join them as a honest comrade?" His amber eyes shined. "A ridiculous notion. A keyblade shaped like this is destined only for a failure."

Lea struggled to rip it out of his enemy's grasp, but the superior tore it away from him, tossing it to the side. There was a prolonged clattering noise as it skidded across the ground. Xemnas then kicked Lea in the chest, sending him crashing back next to Xion. He crawled closer to her side, his hand pressed to where the laser left its deep mark, and laid a hand upon her back. Her breathing came out faint, her hand rubbing her neck.

Xemnas approached them, flourishing his glowing blades. Lea looked up at him then reached for his keyblade far off to the side. He willed it to come back into his hand. It refused his call.

Sora suddenly stepped in between him and Xemnas, gripping his own weapon with a great scowl. "Enough! Why are you doing this?"

A faint smile crossed Xemnas's lips as he swung down. Sora locked him into a short-lived battle. Sparks flew off the Kingdom Key. Sora lost his footing, and his weapon faded in a shot of light. The Superior, with all his power, trapped Sora in a ray of darkness.

"No! Sora!" Lea staggered. He sprinted towards them, his hand clutching his side, his wound screaming as fatigue gnashed at his limbs. He called to his keyblade again, and this time it answered to the faint light in his heart. He stopped short, a soft gasp escaping him. Kairi stood close to him now, Destiny's Embrace held out in front of her.

She met Lea's face, giving a nod. "Once more!"

Sora released a throat-shredding cry as Xemnas continued to zap the strength from him. Kairi and Lea yelled in unison, unleashing a series of blows, forcing the Superior to break away and lash out at them. Sora collapsed, his body crumpling into a heap, small wisps of darkness lifting off his skin. Kairi ran to his aid while Lea held Xemnas at bay.

"Sora!" Kairi failed to revive him as Lea buckled under Xemnas's attacks.

He looked back at Kairi, and then the weight in front of him gave way. Xemnas disappeared, only to teleport behind Kairi and grab her arm. He lifted her up, giving Lea a triumphant look. He pointed out to him.

"All shall fall to darkn-"

Kairi, keyblade still in her left hand, dug her right elbow into Xemnas's side as she snapped her left wrist back, driving her weapon into his chin. Stunned, he released her.

"Lea!" Kairi's wide eyes locked with his.

"Got it!" Lea neared her side and they both drew their keyblades back.

"What- is-?" Xemnas's words died on his lips as the duo rammed him through the heart. He fell to his knees, clutching his chest. With ragged breath, he stared up at them. A dark corridor appeared behind him and he began to fade. "You... have not won."

Lea gave no response, with Kairi fleeing back to Sora. Lea's keyblade dematerialized, and he took a step closer towards Xemnas, who failed to depart fast enough due to such feeble energy. Lea stared down at the broken nobody in front of him.

"Do you have any further words for your superior?" Xemnas raised his eyes to Lea's, his words expressing discomfort when uttered.

Before Lea answered, Kairi called out behind him. "Lea! Something's wrong."

He glanced over his shoulder. Kairi met his eyes, tears visible as she held Sora's hand in hers. He lay propped against a cluster of rocks, his eyes refusing to open as Kairi shook his shoulder again. Lea ignored Xemnas, running instead back towards the duo. The wind picked up, sending dirt all around them in a vortex. Lea shielded his face with his arms, and the sky thundered overhead. Xion struggled to hang onto to something in the wasteland around her, and Lea rushed to scoop her up in his arms. He made it over to Kairi and Sora, placing her near the unconscious keyblade wielder. They all gazed up into the sky. 

A being in a black cloak sailed down from the clouds, dust settling after the impact. Lea blinked, his eyes deceiving him. Xemnas, his hand clutched to his chest, gazed up at this stranger who pointed a black, ornate keyblade at him.

“It cannot be,” Xemnas said, the words falling from his lips in shock and awe.

Roxas tightened his grip on his weapon. “You should learn how to quit. My friends are not your puppets.”

The Superior's gaze fell, a faint laugh escaping him. “Consider it learned, as I shall bear it in mind as you all succumb to darkness.”

“Roxas!” Lea staggered towards him, his side still aching greatly. He managed a wide smile as he drew closer.

He regarded Lea over his shoulder, then observed further behind him Xion pulling herself off the rock, her hand to her head. Sora came to then as well. Roxas focused back to Lea’s face, beholding a horrified look as his friend now sprinted towards him. Roxas jolted as a laser slashed through his side.

“Roxas!” Lea cried.

Roxas stumbled back, the side of his coat slashed open. Lea used his keyblade to block the next incoming attack from Xemnas. Sora, still weak from battle, ran to their aid. Kairi followed close behind just as Lea shoved the Superior back. Xion appeared behind Roxas, guiding him to lean on her. They shared a look, but the circumstances robbed them of a proper reunion. Xemnas, with his last reservoirs of strength, lifted himself into the air. The five keyblade wielders all brandished their weapons, and Riku appeared from the side.

“Where’ve you been?” Sora asked, slightly wincing in pain.

“You’re not the only one taking care of things,” he said, flourishing his blade as he shifted into a fighting stance.

Sora sharply nodded and then looked to Xemnas, who surrounded himself in strands of darkness.

“Together!” Sora yelled, and the two trios attacked, each separate wielder beating Xemnas down. They traded off, with Roxas, Xion, and Lea dealing one final blow. 

"Light!" Sora commanded, and they all pulled back, each wielder calling upon the ability of their weapon. They combined their lights into one strong beam, running Xemnas through. He collapsed, his being slowly fading out.

As the others stood by, watching him slip out of existence while examining their wounds, Lea stepped up to him. “So long, Superior.”

Xemnas smiled wide. “The time has not yet arrived for darkness to subside. Light will not prevail before...” he said, diminishing from existence.

Lea gazed back at Roxas and Xion, finally ready to greet them properly, and his eyes widened as Xion slumped forward. He ran forward as Roxas caught her. She straightened slightly, hand pressed to her brow as her knees continued to buckle. Lea looked to Roxas, who only expressed concern for Xion’s safety, but Lea blinked, his breath catching in his throat. Roxas's own being flickered in and out while Sora stood behind him.

Riku noticed it too.

"What's happening?" Lea asked, eyes panicked.

Riku's expression turned grim. "They're not meant to exist. Sora's heart is calling them back."

"You mean they're...?"

He nodded.

"But isn't that the point of the replicas? To house the heart so they truly can _be_?" Lea's voice faltered, his breath shortening as his hands started to shake.

Riku paused. "I suppose that's their purpose, but perhaps something went wrong."

"What do you mean something went wrong?" Lea clutched at the air.

Roxas teetered to the side now, his eyes rolling. Lea quickly put out an arm, helping him stand. He turned back to Riku.

"You're telling me the replicas are _faulty_?" His words came out through gritted teeth.

Riku didn't answer, giving his head a sad shake. Sora's own face expressed traces of fear as his eyes darted around the group.

"You mean I'm the reason why they're...?"

Kairi interjected with a soft voice. "Sora, how-?"

Something pinched in Lea's heart as the realization hit him. Xion broke away from Roxas, rubbing the back of her head, her eyes squeezing shut. Lea spoke slowly. "Xemnas. Of course. I don't think there's any other explanation." Lea shook his head, forcing any emotional pain down as his voice dropped.

"What are you talking about?" Sora said.

"When Xemnas trapped you in that bind, he was drawing out your strength right?" Lea's face fell.

"Yeah, so?"

"So, what if that effected your heart so much to the point where...?"

"Roxas was brought back?" Kairi said. "But that still doesn't explain why-"

"They shouldn't be fading though," Sora raised his voice. "Why are they-?"

"Your heart is calling them, Sora," Lea said, his eyes panning over the ground, settling on each person's shoes. "Xemnas likely did serious damage and now it needs to be complete. The only way for that to happen, for it to regain the strength it lost..." 

Tears welled up in Xion's eyes as she met Sora's face. "I guess my memories still belong to you, Sora. I'm sorry. I shouldn't hold onto something that isn't real. I guess it was useless to wish for..."

Roxas stared at Riku as he held onto her. "So, even if we have our own bodies, we'll never truly be our own selves," he said. His tone expressed sadness, but a sense of acceptance bled through his words.

"That's not true!" Sora said, clutching at the air. "We'll find a way. For you and Xion!"

Riku put a hand on his shoulder. "Sora..."

He glanced back at him. "There's a chance, right? There has to be. There _has_ to."

Lea lingered, looking at them, then at his friends. Roxas stared back, a pitiful smile drawn over his face.

Lea's brow pinched. His voice cracked as he spoke to Riku. "I don't suppose there's much we can do?"

Riku's eyes drifted to Xion and Roxas, the latter of whom met his gaze as his essence still drifted in and out.

A stillness consumed the air between the six of them, all gathered in a circle with creased expressions, struggling for a solution.

"Well," Riku spoke up with a heavy sigh. "Perhaps Ienzo can help, but we'd have to get them back to the castle." He examined the dimming faces of the two nobodies.

"I don't know if we have time for that," Roxas said. "Maybe this is for the best." 

Lea clasped a hand to his shoulder. "Don't you ever say that! We'll get you there." As Roxas met his face, Lea finished with "That's a promise."

Roxas shared a small smile with Lea and Xion before turning to Riku. Before he could say anything, a claymore whizzed between him and Lea, almost nicking the side of Roxa's face. Riku, Sora, and Kairi summoned their keyblades, and the second trio brought forth their own weapons as well, Isa charging towards them.

"Such ignorance. Why resist an unavoidable fate?" he said, striking at Lea.

Roxas and Xion rushed towards him, but in their weak states, both failed to land a single blow. Kairi, Riku, and Sora lashed out at him, and Isa forced them back, expelling a yell with a surge of power. He struck Lea first, sending him sprawling back towards Roxas and Xion. Kairi and the others continued to attack Isa, but with little success, as he evaded in plumes of black and blue.

Lea turned to his two companions. Xion was out of breath, her legs giving out. She fell to the dirt and Roxas stood by her, the tear in his side becoming unbearable with pain. Lea's head jerked up as Sora ran back to him, Riku and Kairi still fighting for the upper hand. 

"You all okay?"

"They're weak," Lea said, his tone unintentionally casting blame onto Sora.

"I'm sorry."

Lea stared down at Roxas, who's appearance dulled more with each passing minute. His eyes drifted down to Xion, who laid on her side, her face frozen in pain. Lea brought his keyblade forward and addressed Sora. "Watch them for me."

"Axel, don't. You won't be able to-" Roxas winced, the aching in his bones sharpening.

Lea knelt next to him, a hand to his shoulder as he looked Roxas in the eye. "This is my show now. You two stay here. Rest. I'll be back." He stood, and gave Sora a glance of understanding. Sora offered a short nod in return, and Lea rushed off towards Isa.

"Mind if I cut in?" he said when he reached Riku and Kairi's side, his keyblade rubbing against his back. 

"Not at all," Riku said, dodging a blue flame of darkness that Isa fired at him.

"Where's Sora?" Kairi said as she stuck her landing next to him.

"Back there with Roxas and Xion."

"What?" She said, then jerked to the side as Isa shot out a wall of darkness in between them.

"Riku, Kairi," Lea gritted his teeth. "I need you over there. Help Sora. I don't want them gone before I finish this."

Kairi paused, then glanced at Riku. He nodded to her before dashing back to Sora, who clutched his chest with his head bowed as he stood near the two nobodies. Kairi faced Lea and blocked another incoming ranged attack. 

"Lea, you're hurt!"

"Nah, I'll be fine!" He countered his own strike against Isa. "Go! This fight's mine!"

Kairi hesitated, then respected her friend's wishes. Just as she was halfway towards Sora, her mind suddenly changed and she pivoted on her heels, running back to Lea. She called his name in distress just as a barrier went up around him and Isa, with Lea staring down the husk in front of him. His shoulders and breath shook as Isa's golden eyes fixed upon him. His claymore spun while Lea extended his keyblade, angling it out between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a bit of a long one, but if you made it through to the end, thank you so much for reading.
> 
> I am so excited to have finally completed this chapter, as I went through several edits over the course of the month with [random side note] "Desire for All That Is Lost" playing the background. (One of the best battle musical scores in the franchise, btw.) This took me a good long while considering the initial source material, where I wanted to go with it, and how it evolved into a final product. The inspiration for this particular rewrite came from some occurrences in the original scene that slightly bothered me when I first saw it, and I remember having to pause repeatedly just to process what unfolded before me. 
> 
> These moments included how little emotional impact is presented when Sora says Xion's name, as he lacked the year-long relationship with her that others had, and how Lea takes such a beating while still spouting off cheesy lines. Each second of screen time for these characters lacked the depth that I greatly desired during the hype before the game's release, so hopefully my take offers some fulfillment to anyone that felt the same. Just disappointing from my perspective, and Lea's character really took a nose dive, which started to take shape throughout Dream Drop Distance, in my honest opinion. (Which I have a whole other fictional concept focusing on him within that story line slowly in the works). 
> 
> Anyway, to end this long author's annotation, part three will be posted as soon as I finish the complex dynamic between Lea and Isa. Thank you so much to everyone who subscribed and left kudos. It means the world!


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